Civic Action . . . Helping the Vietnamese people
Of all the military units in Vietnam, the Seabees have the most connection with, and positive impact on, the local Vietnamese people.
The Seabees became the Navy's version of the Peace Corpse. Why? The Seabees had construction equipment, savvy, man-power and materials the people outside the wire need to rebuild what this conflict is blowing up.
General Westmoreland, who was running things in Vietnam, had said: “The real war in Vietnam is winning the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese people, to turn them against the encroaching communism from the North.” To do this, all military units are encouraged to volunteer for Civic Action projects. These included rebuilding schools, orphanages, churches, markets, roads and entire villages destroyed by the war. The Seabees became the Navy's version of the Peace Corpse. Why? The Seabees had construction equipment, savvy, man-power and materials the people outside the wire need to rebuild what this conflict is blowing up.
Seventy-One was engaged in a number of projects, or I should say, John Murphy, a 50-something IPO, former construction company owner, was so engaged. Murphy lived in the villages, working on a new market for Tan Ky, a school and orphanage in Chu Lai. While Seabee71's medical department ventured into the villages each week to provide the Vietnamese with medical and dental care.
